Gov. Malloy Addresses LGBT Conference

Governor Dannel P. Malloy was among the guests invited to speak at the True Colors Sexual Minority Youth and Family Services 18th annual conference this morning at the .

True Colors identifies itself as "a non-profit organization that works with other social service agencies, schools, organizations, and within communities to ensure that the needs of sexual and gender minority youth are both recognized and competently met." True Colors was founded in 1992 by Executive Director Robin McHaelen while she was studying for her Master's in Social Work at UConn.

One of the first agencies to join McHaelen in the creation of  True Colors (originally called "Children From the Shadows" until 1998) was the Connecticut State Department of Children and Families followed by the Department of Education, Mental Health and Addiction Services and the Connecticut Teachers Union.

Seventeen years later McHaelen is still holding True Colors conferences. Aside from the governor, this year's guests included Conn. State Comptroller Kevin Lembo, Senator Beth Bye, and Conn. Child Advocate Jeanne Milstein.

While waiting for the conference to start, Lady Gaga's "Born This Way," Adam Lambert's "If I Had You," Katy Perry's "Firework," Rebecca Drysdale's "It Gets Better," and scenes from "Glee" were projected on a wide screen for participants to dance and sing to. Attendees got pretty creative with their outfits with some clad in animal print-tights and fluorescent-colored tutus, while others were in full suits.

When the event officially began at 9 a.m., McHaelen was met with cheers and shouts when she asked who in attendance was straight, gay, bi, lesbian, transesexual or transgender. "You all belong," she said in response.

The first speaker to be introduced was Malloy. He had this to say in his address to the participants: “I want you also to realize and always remind yourselves that you’ve got to reach back and help other people and find a way to support other people and make sure their road is a little bit easier, and that you support them in all their travails. You’ve got to do for other people what, in many cases, people have done for you. It is a circle. We have an obligation to one another. We must make this society move forward and you are the moving parts.”

Bye, one of only two openly gay members of the general assembly and part of the first same-sex marriage with wife Tracey Wilson in 2008, commended the organization saying, “True Colors is an amazing organization because for the next day or two, for some of you, you’re going to know what it feels like to be a hundred percent comfortable, surrounded by people who support you. I want you to bask in there and feel it. Can you feel it now?”

Milstein followed with her own experience "coming out" in the 1970's: "In 1975, we only had one place to assemble - gay bars that were generally hidden and only known through word of mouth, and, even then, in many locations, we had to be buzzed in to try and ensure safety. It was terrifying. So this is simply unbelievable and due to the courage and strength and tenacity of such leaders as the governor, State Comptroller, Senator Bye, Robin and all of you in this room."

The keynote speakers are just one part of a two-day event where the nearly two thousand participants will attend their choice of over a hundred workshops on each day throughout the campus. Participants range from adults and college students to high school students. Workshops are broken down into age-specific categories and labeled as: "Professional Audience," "General Audience," "College" or "High School".

While some workshops are listed as "girl only" or "boy only," this did not apply to a commonly segregated element: restrooms. McHaelen announced that, in accordance with a Circuit Court ruling that indicates individuals are allowed to use the bathroom that is consistent with their gender expression, participants were encouraged to use the facility with which they felt most comfortable.

Other speakers that opened the conference included Worthie Meacham, a.k.a. Momma, and Shola Cole.

Cole, a musician, vocalist, artist, collaborator, teacher and UConn graduate, got kids on stage to dance and had the auditorium chanting “I belong” and “True Colors”

Momma, a famous drag queen from California, reminded the crowd of the important of taking care of themselves. "This is a sacred space where you can discover and be with people just like you. I want you to take a moment and start caring about you. If you feel like you have to go to a person or a substance to feel value, you're headed in the wrong direction."

After about an hour, participants dispersed to their workshops of interest, such as:  "Queering Things Up: The Evolution of Queer Theory" and " Marrying God: Personal Stories of Reclamation."

Among the supporters was Fleurette King, director of UConn's Rainbow Center. She says that the success of the event is due to three main components: the high attendance of local students and professionals from all over the country, the workshops designed for the conference and their presenters, and the safety and validity of all those in attendance.

This year's conference was made possible by UConn's:, Events Management, Women's Center, Center for Students with Disabilities, Counseling and Mental Health Services, School of Business and the cultural centers; the David Daniel Berdon Fund; the Fredrick G. Humphrey Clinic for Individual, Couple and Family Therapy;  City of Hartford, Department of Youth Services; conference staff, organizing committee and many volunteers.